Trump Reduces 50-Day Timeline for Putin to Broker Ukraine Peace Deal

President Donald Trump is tightening the screws on Russian President Vladimir Putin, slashing the timeline for a peace deal with Ukraine from 50 days down to just 10 to 12 days. Speaking in Scotland alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday, Trump made it clear that Putin’s continued attacks on Ukrainian civilians will not be tolerated.

“We thought we had that settled numerous times,” Trump said, referencing negotiations, “and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city, like Kyiv, and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever. You have bodies lying all over the street. And I said, ‘That’s not the way to do it.’”

The shift marks a significant escalation in Trump’s stance against Moscow. The former president had originally given Putin a 50-day deadline to broker peace with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or face devastating economic consequences. Now, Trump says there’s “no reason in waiting” due to Russia’s blatant refusal to stop the violence.

During a July 14 meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump vowed to impose 100% tariffs on Russia if Putin fails to reach a deal. These tariffs would include “secondary penalties” aimed at countries still doing business with Moscow, especially those purchasing Russian oil and gas.

• Russian oil exports accounted for over 40% of the country’s federal revenue in 2023, meaning U.S. sanctions could cripple the Kremlin’s war machine.

• European reliance on Russian energy has already dropped by nearly 70% since the war began, putting Moscow under increasing economic strain.

• Global markets have been closely watching Trump’s plan, with energy analysts warning that such tariffs could trigger a major shift in the oil trade.

Russia and Ukraine have engaged in multiple rounds of talks, most recently in Istanbul last week, but have made virtually no progress. The only agreement so far has been limited prisoner exchanges. Putin has demanded that Ukraine give up territory seized during the invasion a demand Zelensky flatly rejects.

Adding to tensions, Putin has refused to meet Zelensky in person, claiming that Ukraine’s leader is “illegitimate” after martial law prevented elections last year. Meanwhile, Russia has ramped up missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, leaving scores of civilians dead or injured in recent weeks.

Trump’s warning is a stark contrast to the weak and inconsistent foreign policy coming from the Biden administration. While Democrats continue to stumble over their Ukraine strategy, Trump is making it clear that strength and decisive action are the only way to end this brutal conflict.

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